Dobes look awful with tails (my opinion) I boarded one at 6mths, it had already cut the end and came in with a plaster on the end of it, I boarded it again as an adult and it had been docked, 3 times!!!! all those unecessary GA's and pain for nothing, oh and they had a second Dobe, but it was a proper one, so was fine!
Dawn.

This is Kizzie, an agility doglet. Her tail does`nt show up as well as it could as she did a gentle wag at the wrong moment



You can see a better pic of a tailed Dobe at the top of this page where there are a few slideshow pics, [ it flicks through the same few pics so you will only be waiting a few seconds at a time to see the Dobe ]

http://www.anti-dockingalliance.co.uk/

Probably the easiest way to consider a Dobes proper tail is to compare to the Manchester Terrier which are like miniature Dobes in appearance with similar tails, bearing in mind proportional tail size and thickness increase in terms of overall size :smt001

http://www.british-manchester-terrie...k/funday06.htm

Kizzie, in the pic at the top of this post, does use her tail as a rudder for agility and for normal running and play.
Her owner [ who gave me permission to take and use the pic ], is firmly anti-docking as he see`s how much she uses and *needs* her tail for everything from balance, to communicating her moods to humans and other dogs.
I`ll try to get hold of him for some action pics of her which will show her tail being utilised to the full

Thats about animal abuse??

It's the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The docking ban forms part of this

No comparison at all Patch the Manchesters tail is carried not above back height, and its not wagged in such a furious manner as a Dobes is, same as Whippets, may be thin, but carried low and therefore not so much at risk.
Dawn.

thanks pod that certainly clears up some of the confusion, I had been a bit stumped as some said it was already banned in scotland and others said no,
shona

Nice pic patch, lovely dog, think I still prefer docked though

Oh Patch thats the funniest thing I ever did hear. He didnt mind the dew claws being chopped off though!

I'm not sure about Scotland Shona..... it's a bit different up there

Tell me about it, you should see Roxys 'stump' go! it would have someones eye out if it was as long as the one below!